Greek fraternal organizations have always held a special niche in the American higher education system from their founding at the college of William and Mary in 1776 to the current system we have in the 1990s. Fraternities were first introduced at Auburn in the late 1870s and their expansion and development have paralleled that of the national scene. Today, Auburn has 28 nationally chartered fraternities with approximately 1600 members which represents about 20% of the undergraduate male students. Over the years fraternities across the nation, and here at Auburn have thrived and flourished because of their ability to bring people together for a common purpose. They provided a sense of belonging and reduced the over-whelming nature of large organizations by providing a home away from home. Being in an organization that provides a family structure and cares about you reduces the anxiety many encounter as they move away from their immediate family and into the world of academia and independence.

So what is a fraternity? What is it purpose? The following definition comes from The Purple Pilgrim, Manual of Phi Gamma Delta. "A fraternity is an association of men, selected in their college days by democratic processes, because of their adherence to common ideals and aspirations. Out of their association arises a personal relation which makes them unselfishly seek to advance one another in the arts of life and to add, to the formal instruction of the college curriculum, the culture and character which men acquire by contact with great personalities, or when admitted to partnership in great traditions"

While each fraternity has its own ritual, creed, and ceremonies, all are founded on some idealistic purpose of scholastic achievement, community service, character development, spiritual development etc. Because of this idealistic nature of fraternities, colleges and universities, for the most part, have supported the Greek movement because of the shared or parallel mission of preparing students to be responsible productive members of society. The fraternity national and international organizations recognize that to be effective and welcomed members of the academic community they must work in partnership with their host institution to achieve their stated ideals. Fraternities and institutions both benefit when a cooperative and mutually support atmosphere exists.

In 1988 in an effort to distill and coalesce the values of fraternities (and institutions) the National Interfraternity Conference tried to personalize the ideals of undergraduate fraternity membership. These basic expectations listed below were an attempt to lessen the disparity between fraternity ideals and fraternity behavior.

I. I will know and understand the ideals expressed in my fraternity Ritual and will strive to incorporate them in my daily life.

II. I will strive for academic achievement and practice academic integrity. III. I will respect the dignity of all persons; therefore, I will not physically, mentally, psychologically or sexual abuse or haze any human being.

IV. I will protect the health and safety of all human beings.

V. I will respect my property and the property of others; therefore, I will neither abuse nor tolerate the abuse of property.

VI. I will meet my financial obligations in a timely manner.

VII. I will neither use nor support the use of illegal drugs; I will neither misuse nor support the misuse of alcohol.

VIII. I acknowledge that a clean and attractive environment is essential to both physical and mental health; therefore, I will do all in my power to see that the chapter property is properly cleaned and maintained.

IX. I will challenge all my fraternity members to abide by these fraternal expectations and will confront those who violate them.

Fraternity members ideally should be the model citizens of the campus. However, the issuance of these basic expectations is a recognition that fraternities have often strayed from their high ideals and founding principles. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the primary motivation of most students seeking membership in any campus organization is fun. So it is with fraternities, and that is okay to a certain point, but fraternities are headed for trouble when the vast majority of their time, resources, and energy are focused on the social scene. Add to that problems of alcohol abuse, hazing, poor scholarship, and a general lack of civility, and you have a recipe for disaster. Such conditions, even when somewhat isolated, have caused many faculty members, parents and administrators to question the value of fraternities and continued support by the institution.

Given that there is little tolerance in todays academic and legal environment for fraternity pranks, or anything that subjects a student to physical harm or psychological harassment, have fraternities outlived their usefulness? Only time can really answer that question, however, if fraternities were banned or disappeared tomorrow some other organization or structure (maybe less capable) would arise to fill the void. That scenario is not likely because fraternities in their 220 years of existence have proven to be very adaptive. Even with all their problems, fraternities continue to offer young men opportunities for personal development unmatched in most college organizations. Developing leadership skills in members, and creating a laboratory to practice those skills, has always been a hallmark of the fraternity system. Most of the national organizations sponsor leadership training to undergraduate students and the alumni advisors. This usually goes hand-in-hand with a commitment to community service and charitable causes.

Fraternity men are well known for their fund raising efforts and service learning projects, such as the Auburn Adopt-a-School program. In addition to creating life-long friendship, fraternity members generally promote long-term commitment to the institution and generate support for athletic events, fund raisings, scholarships, and political causes.

As the fraternity system moves toward the next century it needs to take a careful look at what made it successful in the past. There is a large reservoir of goodwill toward fraternities, but fraternity leaders can not go to the well too often, because, as was mentioned, the tolerance level is just not there. In large measure if fraternities are to continue in a cooperative role with their host institution they need to dust off the ritual book and convince their neighbors, the student body and campus leadership that they really believe and live by the standards they espouse. A more aggressive internal disciplining of members who fail to meet standards and bring discredit upon the organization is an important first step.

For their part institutions should continue to hold fraternities accountable for their actions and at the same time offer support and guidance. Since resources are usually scarce, paid support staff will be limited; therefore, it is important to encourage self governing of the fraternity system through an Interfraternity Council (IFC). Auburn has been very fortunate in this regard, as the IFC officers control much of the day to day matters involving fraternities and play an integral role in the university oversight committee.

With a renewed interest in standards and a commitment to their founding principles, plus a strong partnership with the institution and national fraternal organization, the fraternities at Auburn and other campus can meet the challenges of the future and live up to their high ideals.

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